Fort Myers job offer... thoughts?

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

I want to make sure if I take the Fort Myers position, it's for the right reasons. Not just because it's fun and the weather is great.

I don't know -- fun and nice weather don't sound like bad reasons to me. At a certain age you mostly regret the things you didn't do.

[RichRed]

Originally Posted by Rojo

I don't know -- fun and nice weather don't sound like bad reasons to me. At a certain age you mostly regret the things you didn't do.

Exactly what I was thinking. If you take a flier on something and it doesn't work out, at least you can say, "Well, I gave it a shot." That's usually better than wondering "What if...?"

The circumstances of this particular situation do sound a little sketchy though, with the no face-to-face meeting and the no relocation assistance.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by RichRed

The circumstances of this particular situation do sound a little sketchy though, with the no face-to-face meeting and the no relocation assistance.

Sure. Try some google.

But I just looked at rents in Fort Myers on CL. $500 for a one-bedroom. What's the risk? You can pay that working at Starbucks. A risk is San Franciso or New York where you're out $5K within two months.

[Raisor]

If your not sure what to do, ask for relocation money and a downside guarentee. Ask for a contract to be looked at again in a year. Never hurts to ask if you aren't sure you want to do it

[Roy Tucker]

To mitigate risk, I'd do as much research as I could on the school. Google it, call the local BBB, call the school governing boards, call the chamber of commerce, and whatever else you can think of.

it's easy to talk your way out of a lot of things in life. But I'd rather make an active mistake than a passive one. Just me though, YMMV.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

Ok Redszone here's the deal. I've been offered a teaching job at a charter school in Fort Myers, Florida. It pays 34,000 a year. Here's the kicker: they want me there by July 23rd for training, and students come on August 6th. They're willing to hire me over the phone, without meeting me in person first. They're not providing any relocation costs. I currently live in Ohio, and make substantially less than 34,000 a year. I don't have any money saved up for this, nor will I have any time to find a place in Fort Myers before going out there.

I don't have any experience as a teacher, only as a substitute. I've never done a lesson plan, don't have any experience with curriculum... should I take the job? Should I turn it down? Right now I'm leaning towards declining. But haven't decided for sure. Any opinions? Anyone familiar with the cost of living in Fort Myers?

What could go wrong?

[JaxRed]

Google is your friend. Tell us the name of the school and I bet we can find out a lot. But you need a job and this is a job. I'd be inclined to say yes and right away. Sounds like they need a teacher ASAP (someone might have backed out at last minute). If you procrastinate they will go for someone else.

[GIK]

I'd do it and have done a similar move in the past. The worst that can happen is it doesn't work out and you move back, which was my experience. It actually was one of the best decisions I ever made (sold my house in 2007 "pre crash"; same house is worth $100k less and I'd be stuck there forever if I didn't leave). When we came back, we bought a new house that was listed significantly less than it had been earlier in a much better area.

Go for it.

[camisadelgolf]

Five years from now, if there's anything for you that's not working out in Cincinnati, you might think, "Dang. I wish I gave Ft. Myers a chance." The important thing is that once you move out there, you try to embrace it for what it is instead of expecting things to be exactly like they were in South Vienna.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

I appreciate all of the input. I can't really say which way I'm leaning right now. I need to decide by tomorrow.

So what'd you decide?

[cincrazy]

Well, the decision was more or less made for me. I was going to go through with it, but upon looking at my transcripts, it was decided I needed to take classes before they'd be willing to hire me. She offered the job contingent on me passing a test, and having the necessary credits, but apparently I fell short in that regard. She told me if I completed certain classes, I could potentially get reimbursed from them, and I should contact her next year and they'd be willing to hire me. All in all, a bit disappointed, but also a bit relieved. It was a pretty big life decision to make, and even though I was going through with it, it was still pretty nerve wracking.

I plan on completing the classes, and next year revisiting the situation, while giving myself much more time to plan for this. Best of both worlds if you ask me.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

I plan on completing the classes, and next year revisiting the situation, while giving myself much more time to plan for this. Best of both worlds if you ask me.

Sounds like an ok outcome. Have you been to the school? Road trip?

[pedro]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

Well, the decision was more or less made for me. I was going to go through with it, but upon looking at my transcripts, it was decided I needed to take classes before they'd be willing to hire me. She offered the job contingent on me passing a test, and having the necessary credits, but apparently I fell short in that regard. She told me if I completed certain classes, I could potentially get reimbursed from them, and I should contact her next year and they'd be willing to hire me. All in all, a bit disappointed, but also a bit relieved. It was a pretty big life decision to make, and even though I was going through with it, it was still pretty nerve wracking.

I plan on completing the classes, and next year revisiting the situation, while giving myself much more time to plan for this. Best of both worlds if you ask me.

Presumably that'd give you the opportunity to visit the area and the school sometime in next year to see what you think.

Good luck!

[cincrazy]

Originally Posted by pedro

Presumably that'd give you the opportunity to visit the area and the school sometime in next year to see what you think.

Good luck!

Hey thanks. Absolutely this gives me an opportunity to scout the area out. I plan on going down there by next spring to see the school, scout out any apartment possibilities, etc. All-in-all, best-case scenario I think. I'm still in play for a future position, and now I have more time to prepare for it.

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

Well, the decision was more or less made for me. I was going to go through with it, but upon looking at my transcripts, it was decided I needed to take classes before they'd be willing to hire me. She offered the job contingent on me passing a test, and having the necessary credits, but apparently I fell short in that regard. She told me if I completed certain classes, I could potentially get reimbursed from them, and I should contact her next year and they'd be willing to hire me. All in all, a bit disappointed, but also a bit relieved. It was a pretty big life decision to make, and even though I was going through with it, it was still pretty nerve wracking.

I plan on completing the classes, and next year revisiting the situation, while giving myself much more time to plan for this. Best of both worlds if you ask me.

If you don't want to move that far from Ohio, West Virginia is dieing for teachers in a number of schools. Especially math and science. They don't pay the greatest but the cost of living here is much lower.